Variable count and slubbing apparatus and method



June 17, 1969 F. M. CURETON E A 3,449,399

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VARIABLE COUNT AND SLUBBING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed March 1, 1968Sheet 6 of 7 INVENTORS'. FzAwcls M.CUEETOH and IAcKsoM LM MANUS ATTOR NEY5 June 17, 1969 CURETON ET AL 3,449,899

VARIABLE COUNT AND SLUBBING APPARATUS AND METHOD Filed March 1, 1968Sheet 7 of 7 INVENTORS. FEANGS M. CURE-TON and JACKSON L. M- -MANus MMfla'lzallgme, @111 #262 141 ATTORNEYS nited States Patent US. Cl. 5738.317 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An apparatus and method for theproduction of novelty yarns wherein the characteristics of the yarn varyin a random nature such as, for example, a slub yarn wherein slubs ofrandomly varying size and length are spaced at random intervals along abase yarn of randomly varying count.

Certain desirable elfects, such as novel visual appearances andcharacteristics of hand, may be achieved in a woven fabric or other endtextile product by the use of novelty yarn, such as slub yarn having avarying diameter or thick and thin portions along the length thereof. Afabric constructed with such yarn may have more of an appearance ofbeing manufactured by hand and is, in any event. preferablycharacterized by a random distribution of the yarn size variations orslubs which impart the novel appearance and hand to the fabric.

In most instances, a repeating pattern of the slubs across the surfaceof the fabric is undesirable as detracting from the other desirablequalities being sought. In particular, the more uniform the distributionof the slubs along the length of a novelty yarn and the shorter thelength of the yarn in which this distribution repeats, the higher thelikelihood that a repeating pattern of distribution of effects in thefabric will appear.

With this problem particularly in mind, the methods and apparatusheretofore available for and used in the production of novelty yarnshave attempted to attain randomization of yarn characteristics. Whilesome progress has been made in this direction, the full potential of thenovelty elfects sought has not been realized, principally due to certainlimitations in the apparatus and methods used.

In particular, the apparatus used typically utilizes draftinginstrumentalities to form the novelty yarn with at least front and rearspaced apart sets of drafting instrumentalities being driven atdifferent speeds to effect the drafting action. Usually, the rear set ofdrafting instrumentalities is driven at a uniform speed by the front setof drafting instrumentalities during fromation of the base yarn by asuitable operative connection therebetween. In order to create athickened portion or slub in the yarn, an overrunning clutch is employedin the operative connection between the rear and front sets of draftinginstrumentalities and a secondary drive means is provided to overspeedthe rear set relative to the normal speed of rotation thereof andthereby form the thickened portion or slub. A novelty yarn of the typeproduced in such an apparatus thus has a base yarn of uniform diameteror count and slubs of uniform diameter but varying length interspersedalong the length of the novelty yarn.

In methods involving the use of such apparatus, a wide variety of stepshave been suggested for controlling the secondary drive means tooverspeed the rear rolls, includ ing such variations as the use ofcomplicated gear trains and randomized signals controlling such geartrains, including one such apparatus which utilizes cosmic radiationsensing means to provide the randomized signal. As to the 3,449,899Patented June 17, 1969 use of gear trains or other similar complicateddrive means, a difficulty arises in that the variations obtained are nottruly random, but will be found to repeat in a predetermined patternshould a sufiicient interval of production be studied. Thus, the dangerof a repeating pattern in the end textile product is quite significant.While the use of cosmic radiation sensing means, or other means fordetecting truly random physical events, is more capable of avoiding sucha repeating pattern, such methods as heretofore proposed have still beenlimited by the apparatus used to the realization of less than the fullpotential of effects to be gained by variations in yarn diameter.

With the foregoing particularly in mind, it is an object of the presentinvention to provide an apparatus and method for the production ofnovelty yarns wherein the potential elfects to be gained from yarn sizevariations are more fully realized so that the appearance of a repeatingpattern in fabric formed therefrom is avoided.

In realizing this object of the present invention, random variations ofthe basic yarn count are introduced at the same time that randomvariations in slub diameter and length are obtained. In particular, theapparatus of this invention comprises controllable variable speed drivemeans operatively connected to a rear set of drafting instrumentalitiesto drive the same entirely independently of an astherefrom, to controlthe feed of a textile strand into the drafting zone defined between thesets of drafting instrumentalities entirely independently of the speedat which the front set of drafting instrumentalities delivers thedrafted yarn therefrom. The method contemplated by the present inventioncomprises the steps of generating a randomly varying signal and applyingthe signal to control the speed of a rear set of draftinginstrumentalities entirely independently of the speed of a front set ofdrafting instrumentalities spaced therefrom.

Thus, a more specific object of this invention is to provide, inconjunction with a textile spinning frame for drafting fibrous textilestrands passing therethrough, a method of and means for driving a rearset of drafting instrumentalities at randomly varying rates to randomlyvary the base count and slub characteristics of a textile yarn beingdelivered from the spinning frame. In realizing this object of thepresent invention, means are provided for generating randomly varyingsignals and a control means is operatively connected to the signalgenerating means for combining a plurality of randomly varying signalsto create a drive signal of randomly varying magnitude. Such drivesignal is then applied to a controllable variable speed drive means, todrive the rear set of drafting instrumentalities entirely independentlyof the front set and result in the delivery by the front set of draftinginstrumentalities of a yarn having randomly varying count and slubcharacteristics.

Yet another more detailed object of the present invention is theprovision of an apparatus and method wherein a plurality of inverselyvarying signals and an intermittent signal are generated and the signalsare then combined to create two randomly varying signals, one of whichis a continuous, randomly varying signal and the other is aninterrupted, randomly varying signal. The two randomly varying signalsare then combined to create a single drive signal of varying magnitudewherein the magnitude of the drive signal is determined by the greaterof the magnitudes of the continuous, randomly varying signal and theinterrupted, randomly varying signal. The rotational speed of a rear setof instrumentalities is then controlled in accordance with the resultingdrive signal.

While in most instances it is undesirable to have a repeating pattern ofvariations in yarn count or slubs across the surface of a fabric, thereare certain specific instances in which it is desired that changes inthe count of.a yarnbe preprogrammed in a determinable pattern, in orderto obtain a pattern across the surface of a fabric constructed With suchyarn and thus simplify the manufacturing process for the fabric.Heretofore, certain arrangements have been provided which were capableof producing a preprogrammed patterned yarn of this general type, butthe range of adjustment and hence of variations in the preprogrammedpattern were severely limited. Also, these arrangements had only limitedapplication since they were incapable of producing the randomization ofyarn characteristics desired in most instances.

The apparatus of the present invention, as briefly discussed above, itnot only capable of obtaining the randomization of yarn characteristicdesired in most instances, but may be adjusted through a much widerrange than heretofore possible, so that patterned yarns of a wide rangeof preprogrammed characteristics may be produced thereby. Thus, there isprovided an apparatus and method of producing novelty yarns of random orpreprogrammed patterned characteristics.

Some of the objects and advantages of the invention having been stated,others will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic representation of an apparatus contemplated bythe present invention;

FIGURES 2 through 8, taken together, are a circuit diagram of anoperating embodiment of an apparatus as schematically represented inFIGURE 1 and wherein FIGURE 2 is a circuit diagram of a power supplymeans for providing electrical current to certain signal generatorswhich form portions of the apparatus schematically illustrated in FIGURE1;

FIGURE 3 is a circuit diagram of a mechanical randomizer which forms aportion of the apparatus schematically illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a circuit diagram of certain signal generators which formportions of the apparatus schematically represented in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a circuit diagram of certain signal integrating means whichform a portion of the apparatus schematically illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is partly a circuit diagram and partly a schematic illustrationof a selection means for facilitating production of a plurality ofvarying types of yarn on a single spinning frame; and

FIGURES 7, 7a and 8, taken together, are a circuit diagram of a motorspeed control means forming a portion of the apparatus schematicallyillustrated in FIG- URE 1.

Drafting instrumentalities and drive means Referring now moreparticularly to the drawings, the schematic representation of FIGURE 1includes block diagram representations of certain portions of anapparatus as contemplated by the present invention and illustrates alsoa plurality of spaced apart sets of drafting instrumentalities,represented as the roll sets 11, 12 and 13, defining drafting zonestherebetween. The roll sets 11, 12 and 13 represent the front,intermediate and rear drafting instrumentalities of a conventionalspinning frame, with the front set 11 delivering a textile strandmaterial or yarn to the spindle of the spinning frame and the rear set13 feeding textile strand material, such as roving, into the draftingzones to be drafted. The intermediate set of drafting instrumentalities12 may be present or omitted as found desirable for each particularinstallation. The front set of drafting instrumentalities 11 preferablyis driven in a conventional manner as widely known in the constructionof spinning frames.

In accordance with the present invention, a controllable variable speeddrive means is connected to the rear set of drafting instrumentalities13 independently of the front set 11 for driving the rear set 13independently thereof. The controllable variable speed drive meanspreferably comprises a direct current electrical motor 15, operativelyinterconnected with the rear set 13 of drafting instrumentalities bymeans of any suitable connection, such as a driving belt 16. Alsooperatively connected to the shaft of the variable speed motor 15 is atachometer generator 18, the function of which will be brought out morefully hereinafter.

As herein used, reference to driving the rear set of draftinginstrumentalities independently of the front set is not intended toconvey that the relative speeds of rotation are not correlated, for suchcorrelation is necessary if desirable predictability is to be obtainedas to the yarn produced. It is intended that the drive means providedfor the front and rear sets of instrumentalities be separate and thatthe rotative speed of the front set not necessarily be changed. However,for correlation of twist and draft, it may be desirable to also controlthe front drafting instrumentalities speed in relation to the control ofthe rear drafting instrumentalities speed.

General description of control system The speed of the electrical motor15 is controlled by a DC motor controller 19, to which is applied adrive signal 20 of randomly varying magnitude (represented by a signalenvelope designated at 20 in FIGURE 1) so as to result in varying speedbeing imparted to the rear set 13 of drafting instrumentalities. Thedrive signal 20 is created by a slub and body yarn signal integrator 21which receives first and second randomly varying signals 22 and 23(respectively represented by signal envelopes also designated 22 and 23)and combines them to create the drive signal 20. One of the randomlyvarying signals is discontinuous or interrupted, such as signal 22, andis produced by a slub signal integrator 25 which receives a plurality ofsignals (variously represented by signal envelopes A, A, B, B and C)generated by first and second slu-b signal generators 26 and 27 and by amechanical randomizer 29. The other randomly varying signal 23 isgenerated in a somewhat similar manner by a body yarn signal integrator30 receiving pairs of signals (represented as D, D, E and E) generatedby first and second body yarn signal generators 31 and 32.

Turning from a general description with reference to a schematic diagramas given above to a specific operating embodiment of the presentinvention, the circuit diagrams of FIGURES 2 through 8 disclose thedetails of an operating embodiment of the present invention which functions to control the rears sets of drafting instrumentalities in aplurality of zones of a spinning frame or spinning frames, as forexample ten zones. In a normal application, each such zone is two sidesof a spinning frame.

Mechanical randomizer In order to produce an interrupted signal forcontrolling the passage of other signals as generally discussed above,or gating such signals, the operating embodiment of the presentinvention includes a mechanical randomizer (FIG- URE 3) corresponding toan identified by the same reference as the mechanical randomizer 29 ofFIGURE 1. Suitable elements for the mechanical randomizer 29 include anappropriate electrical motor 60 which may be operatively connected to asource of line voltage such as volts through appropriate switch meansand fuses, as is generally known. Fixed to the drive shaft of the motor60, for rotation therewith, are a plurality of randomizer discs(indicated in phantom lines in FIGURE 3). Operatively associated witheach of the rondomizer discs are a plurality of electrical switches,such as microswitches, which are operated by projections or cam fingerscarried by the respective discs. Preferably, the cam fingers aredisplaceable about the discs, and cooperate with the positioning of theswitches about the discs to cause completion of an electrical circuitand passage of an electrical signal in a pattern which approximates arandom sequence of signals. The intermittent signal thus developed bythe mechanical randomizer 29 is applied to a slub signal integrator aspointed out more fully hereinafter with reference to the discussion ofthe circuits of FIGURE 5. At the present point, it is sufiicient to notethat the intermittent voltage signal resulting from actuation of threeswitches 61, 62 and 63 appears on a conductor 65. Other intermittentvoltage signals resulting from actuation of sets of switches 67, 68 and69; 71, 72; and 74, 75 and 76 are applied to circuits identical to thoseof FIGURES 4 and 5 in the same manner as will be described hereinafter,to produce signals applied to a selection and integration device asillustrated in FIGURE 6. The interrelationships of these elements of theoperating embodiment of the present invention will become more Clearhereinafter.

Power supplies Electrical current to be modulated to generate thevarious pairs of inverse signals is derived from a pair of regulatedvoltage supplies, each enclosed within dash lines in FIGURE 2 andrespectively identified as 50 and 51. Unregulated direct current istapped from the secondary winding of a transformer T1 through arectifier bridge and is regulated by a network of resistors, capacitors,diodes and transistors of a type which is generally known for regulatingdirect current supplies. An unregulated voltage supply of predeterminedpotential, such as 10-volts, and a common ground are provided by thesecondary winding of a second transformer T2. The first regulated powersupply 50 applies a regulated direct current of predetermined potential,such as -volts, to a conductor 52, which is operatively connected to aplurality of signal generators (FIGURE 4) corresponding to andidentified by the same numerals as the signal generators 26, 27, 31 and32 (FIGURE 1) for modulation of the current to produce pairs ofinversely varying signals such as those represented in FIGURE 1 as thesignals A and inverse A; B and inverse B; D and inverse D; and E andinverse E. Direct current from the second regulated power supply 51 issupplied at a predetermined potential, such as 25 volts, through aconductor 53 to integrator circuits (FIGURE 5) corresponding to andidentified by the same numerals as the slub signal integrator 25 and thebody yarn signal inte grator (of FIGURE 1). Additionally unregulateddirect current is supplied through a conductor 55, to be applied to theintegrator circuits (FIGURE 5). A common ground for return is providedby a conductor 56.

Signal generators Circuit details of the signal generators 26, 27, 31and 32 as included in the operating embodiment of the present inventionare as shown in FIGURE 4. The four circuits there illustrated asenclosed within dash lines and identified by the reference numerals 26,27, 31 and 32 are all substantially identical, being hybrid timingcircuits arranged as unsymmetrical multivibrators wherein a unijunctiontransistor is used in conjunction with a pair of conventional PNPtransistors for timing the changes in conductive state of suchtransistors. By way of illustration, the signal generator enclosedwithin dash lines and identified as the first slub signal generator 26includes a unijunction transistor 26a. which operates as a timingcontrol over the changes in conductive state of a flip-flop circuitusing a pair of PNP transistors 26b and 26c. Through the use of a pairof potentiometers 262 and 26f, isolated from each other by diodes, thetime intervals between successive changes in conductive state may thusbe independently determined and may differ by a substantial amount if sodesired. A pair of electrical conductors 80 and 81 are operativelyconnected in the collector circuits of the flip-flop transistors 26b and26c, to serve as outputs from the signal generator 26 and carry a pairof inverse signals such as are represented by the signal envelopes A andinverse A in FIGURE 1.

In a similar manner, the signal generators enclosed within dash lanesidentified as the second slub signal generator 27 and the first andsecond body yarn signal generators 31 and 32 include circuit componentsidentified by designations corresponding to those used with reference tothe first slub signal generator 26 and similarly modulate electricalcurrent derived from the power supply 50 to cause pairs of inversesignals to appear on respectivesets of conductors. On the conductors 83and 84, signals identified as B and inverse B appear. On conductors 85and 86, operatively connected to the first body yarn signal generator31, appear the signal D and inverse D. Finally, the operative connectionof conductors 88 and 89 with the second body yarn signal generator 32conducts therefrom the signals E and inverse E.

Slab signal and body yarn signal integrators The pairs of signalspresent on the conductors and 81; 83 and 84; 85 and 86; 88 and 89 arecombined by signal integrators corresponding to and identified by thesame reference characters as the integrators 25 and 30 of FIGURE 1.Circuits appropriate for such integrators are shown in FIGURE 5,enclosed with dash lines and identified as the slub signal integrator 25and the body yarn signal integrator 30. The principal distinctionbetween the two signal integrators is the presence, in the slub signalintegrator 25, of a gating transistor 25a to the base of which theconductor 65 is operatively connected for application of theintermittent signal from the mechanical randomizer 29. The gatingtransistor 25a in the slub signal integrator 25 controls the output fromthat integrator in such a manner that an output signal appears from theintegrator only during such time that a signal is applied to the gatingtransistor through the conductor 65.

Each of the signal integrators is built up from a plurality of basiccircuits which comprise an and gate formed by two transistors directlycoupled by emitter to collector connection, such as the transistors 25band 25c in the basic circuit to the far left of the integrator 25 inFIGURE 5, and an integrating circuit with signal pickoff through apotentiometer, such as the potentiometer 250! in the same basic circuit.By means of these basic building blocks of circuitry, one signal fromeach pair of inversely varying signals is combined with a signal fromanother pair of inversely varying signals, to ultimately create a singlerandomly varying signal. As a particular example, the signal A carriedby the conductor 80 is combined, by the basic circuit including thetransistors 25b and 250 and the potentiometer 25d, with the signal Bcarried by the conductor 83. Each of these signals is applied to thebase of one of the two transistors 25b and 250, included in the and gateof the basic circuit, and, in the simultaneous presence of both signals,a signal is passed through an integrating transistor 25:: to be pickedoff through the potentiometer 25d, passed by a screening diode 25 and bepresented as a component of an output signal from the slub signalintegrator 25. At the same time, other pairs of the conductors 80 and81, 83 and 84 are operatively connected to the bases of transistors inthe and gates of three additional basic circuit blocks in the slubsignal integrator 25, to similarly produce integrated signals resultingfrom combining of signals from the inversely varying pairs. Theintegrated signals resulting from the combining of the signals from theinversely varying pairs generated in the first and second slub signalgenerators 26 and 27 are combined and, on gating by the intermittentsignal carried by the conductor 65 from the mechanical randomizer 29,appear as a randomly varying, interrupted signal on a conductor 90,corresponding to the slub signal 22 in the schematic representation ofFIGURE 1.

In a manner similar to the operation of the slub signal integrator 25,the two pairs of inversely varying signals carried by the conductors 85and 86, and 88 and 89 are applied to the bases of transistors formingand gates in the four basic building block circuits including in thebody yarn signal integrator 30 (lower half of FIGURE 5). On combining ofthe signals resulting from the integration of the and gate signals, anuninterrupted or continuous body yarn signal appears on a conductor 91as an output from the body yarn signal integrator 30. By virtue ofinterconnection of the conductor 90 with the conductor 91, and throughthe output of the body yarn signal integrator 30, the interrupted ordiscontinuous slub signal is superimposed on the continuous body yarnsignal, and the two signals are thus simultaneously present on theconductor 91.

Parallel circuitry To this point, the discussion of the operatingembodiment of this invention has had reference to the use of one sectionof the mechanical randomizer 29 and a corresponding number of slub andbody yarn signal generators and integrators as needed to produce asingle signal on the conductor 91. It is to be understood that, in theoperating embodiment, the circuits illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5 areduplicated, as shown by the blocks included in FIGURE 3, in order toproduce a plurality of random signals useful in controlling the speed ofa rear set of drafting instrumentalities, illustrated as four suchsignals in the drawings. Due to the independent operation of theparallel channels of circuitry, and the possibility of independentadjustment of the Potentiometers which function as signal determiningcomponents in certain of these circuits, it is thus possible togenerate, in the operating embodiment of the present invention, foursignals which vary randomly as to magnitude, duration, sequence, andvariations in magnitude of voltage. While the particular embodimentwhich is presently operating produces four such signals, this number ofsignals results largely from the particular circuit component selectionsmade in assembling the circuitry and the limits of practical operationimposed by those design choices. It is specifically recognized thatother component selections are within the skill of a technicallycompetent engineer once an understanding of this invention has beengained, and that such design choices will determine the practical limitsof operation of the circuitry. The four signals generated in theoperating embodiment are applied to the four conductors illustrated inFIGURE 6 and identified respectively as conductor 91 and as originatingfrom FIGURE 3.

Slub and body yarn signal integrator In order to create the randomlyvarying drive signal for governing the speed of the rear set of draftinginstrumentalities, the slub signal and body yarn signal generated asdiscussed above the combined and integrated together so that themagnitude of the drive signal thus created is determined by the greaterinstantaneous magnitude of the two signals thus applied. In particular,a slub and body yarn signal integrator corresponding in function to thatone included in the schematic diagram of FIGURE 1 is enclosed within adash line in FIGURE 6 and identified by reference character 21. Thissignal integrator includes a five-portion switch to permit selection ofa signal from any of the four sets of signal generators and integratorsdescribed immediately above or a signal to be applied from a testcircuit as indicated in block form in FIGURE 6. The signal selected bypositioning of the switch is applied to a signal amplifier andintegrator using a single transistor 21a, to create a randomly varyingdrive signal which is applied to a conductor 92, operatively connectedto a motor controller as described more fully hereinafter. In theoperating embodiment, nine additional slub and body yarn signalintegrators are provided, three of which are shown by circuit diagramsin FIGURE 6 and six of which are incorporated within a single blockdiagram. By employing this number of slub and body yarn signalintegrators and a corresponding number of motor controllers as describedmore fully hereinafter, a total of ten DC drive motors such as the motorof FIGURE 1 may be controlled. In similarity to the manner in which fourdrive signals result as discussed above, the use of ten slub and bodyyarn integrators and ten motor controllers flows largely from componentselections made as the circuitry of the operating embodiment wasassembled and may vary should components capable of handling heavier orlighter loads be chosen. In view of the conventional practice ofinterconnecting the rear sets of drafting instrumentalities on one sideof a spinning frame so that the same are driven in a common manner, theillustrated operating embodiment would thus be accommodated to use witha total of ten spinning frames.

Motor and interspeed braking controllers In order to produce the desiredyarns by varying the rate at which textile strands are supplied to thedrafting zone in accordance with the fluctuation of the drive signal 20,the operating embodiment controls the speed of an electric motorcorresponding to the DC motor 15- in response to the random variationsof the drive signal 20 as presented across the conductors 92 and 56.Specific circuitry for performing this function is illustrated inFIGURES 7, 7 and 8 wherein the circuitry of a solid state motorcontroller and an interspeed braking controller, functionallycorresponding to those schematically represented in FIGURE 1, areidentified by the reference characters 19 and 34 and included, in part,within dash lines. Operating current for the controller circuitry andthe motor 15 is obtained through suitable connection to a source of linecurrent such as 110 volts, with the line current being applied to theprimary winding of a transformer T3 and to two terminals of a Wheatstonebridge circuit (FIGURE 8). Current derived from the secondary winding ofthe transformer T3 and the drive signal 20 present across the conductors92 and 56 (between FIGURES 6 and 7) are applied to the controllercircuitry including the circuits 19 and 34. In addition, a tachometergenerator identified by reference character 18 is connected into thecircuitry of the interspeed braking controller 34 through a bridgearrangements of diodes, in order to assure that a signal derived fromthe generator is applied to the circuitry with a proper polarity so thatthe circuits will function in the desired manner.

In following the fluctuations of the drive signal 20, the line currentapplied to the Wheatstone bridge circuit 100 is rectified and suppliedto the armature of the motor 15. Due to the inclusion in the bridge'100of a pair of controller rectifiers 101 and 102, the effective voltagesupplied from the bridge circuit 100 to the motor 15 may readily becontrolled, as described more fully hereinafter. Upon an indication fora rapid increase in the speed of the motor 15, or an indication tomaintain the motor speed constant at an attained rate, the voltagesupplied from he bridge circuit quickly adjusts to the necessary level,and the characteristics of the motor assure a prompt response. However,due to the inertia of the motor itself and of the rotating parts driventhereby, the motor 15 does not so readily follow. the drive signal 20upon the signal calling for a rapid decrease in the voltage applied tothe motor from the bridge circuit 100. Instead, the fly wheel effect ofthe motor and the parts driven thereby tends to cause the rate of whichtextile stands are supplied to the drafting zone to smoothly but slowlydecrease.

In order to permit obtaining the desired characteristics for the textileyarns produced, by assuring that the speed of the motor 15 followsfluctuations of the drive signal 20 calling for a decrease in drivenspeed as well as those fluctuations calling for an increase in speed,the interspeed braking controller functions to impose a load on thearmature of the motor 15 at any time that comparison of the signaloriginating from the tachometer generator 18 with the drive signal 20indicates that the shaft speed of the motor 15 is above that required bythe drive signal 20. In particular, the Wheatstone bridge circuit 100 isshunted by a circuit including a plurality of load resistors 105, 106,107, 108 and a controlled 9 rectifier 110. Upon firing of the controlledrectifier 110 to a conductive state (as discussed more fullyhereinafter), the resistors 105-108 are electrically connected as a loadacross the armature of the motor 15, causing the motor to operate as agenerator for sufiicient length of time to extract from the rotatingelements of the spinning frame sufficient energy to reduce the momentumthereof to such a level that the shaft speed of the motor reaches thedesired speed indicated by the drive signal 20.

Turning now in greater detail to the operation of the controllers 19 and34, each of the controllers includes an output transformer, respectivelyidentified as transformers T4 and T5. The purse of the circuitryincluded within the dash lines is to apply pulse trains of particulartypes to the primary windings of the transformers T4 and T5, dependingupon a comparison between the drive signal present across the conductors92 and '56 and the shaft speed signal generated by the tachometergenerator .18. By interconnection of the circuitry of the twocontrollers 19 and 34, a train of pulses is generated by a Schmidttrigger circuit connected with the primary of the transformer T4, toapply to the pair of controlled rectifiers 101 and 102 in the bridge 100(FIGURE 8) a train of pulses which is determined by a summing of theincoming drive signal and the tachometer generator 18 signal at the baseof a transistor 19a controlling two Schmidt trigger transistors 19b and190. The controlled rectifier 110 in the bridge shunting circuit iscontrolled by a train of pulses originated by a unijunction transistor34a which is electrically connected to the primary of transformer T5,due to the connection of the controlled rectifier 110 to the secondarywinding of the transformer T5. When a comparison of the incoming drivesignal 20 with the signal from the tachometer generator 18 indicatesthat the shaft speed of the motor 15 is above that called for by thedrive signal 20, the generation of pulses by the Schmidt trigger usingtransistors 19b and 190 stops, while the unijunction transistor 34acreates a train of pulses causing conduction of the controlled rectifier.110.

In addition to the circuitry described heretofore, a plurality of relaycontacts are provided to control the connection of the armature of themotor 15 with the controllers 19 and 34. The plurality of relay contacts120, 121, 122 and 123 are controlled by a relay coil 124 whichpreferably is electrically connected with the starter of the main motordriving the spinning frame with which the DC motor 15 is used. Thus, inthe event that the spinning frame itself is stopped, the motor .15 isdisconnected from the control circuitry provided in accordance with thepresent invention, to assure that the motor \15 is not driven duringperiods of time that the spinning frame is not in use.

Prepragrammed operation In the circuitry arrangements and methods ofoperation as described to this point, the pairs of signals which areselected and combined are directed particularly toward an end resultdrive signal having randomly changing characteristics. In thoseinstances where a patterned variation of yarn characteristics isdesired, it has been discovered that the apparatus and method of thepresent invention are adaptable to the formation of such yarn. Inparticular, the potentiometers 26c and 26 and 27a and 27 which controlthe characteristics of the pairs of inverse signals A, A, B and B may beadjusted so that no slub signal is generated. Then, the pairing of theinverse signals D, D, E and E originating with the body yarn signalgenerators 31 and 32 may be selected in such a manner, by adjustment ofthe potentiometers corresponding to the potentiometer d and byinterconnection of the conductors 85 and 86, 88 and 89 with the andgates in the body yarn signal integrator 30 (lower half of FIGURE 5), toobtain a continuous body yarn signal which alternates betweenpredetermined signal magnitude levels with a predetermined pattern inrelation to time. In order that the patterns thus obtained arerepeatable and the apparatus may be programmed for the production of adesired yarn, the potentiometers used in the circuits described in moredetail above are of the type that may be returned at will to particularsettings.

We claim:

1. In a spinning frame having at least front and rear spaced apart setsof drafting instrumentalities for drafting fibrous textile strandspassing therethrough, said front set normally being driven at apredetermined rotative speed and said rear set normally being driven ata slower relative speed than said front set for feeding the textilestrand into the drafting zone at a slower rate than it is delivered, theimprovement which comprises means connected to said rear set of draftinginstrumentalities for driving the same at randomly varying rates torandomly vary the count of the strand being delivered from said draftinginstrumentalities and comprising:

(a) controllable variable speed drive means connected to said rear setof drafting instrumentalities independently of said front set fordriving the rear set independently of said front set,

(b) means for generating (fiISt and second randomly varying signals, and

(c) control means operatively connected to said signal generating means(b) for receiving the first and second signals therefrom and combiningthe same to create a drive signal of randomly varying magnitude andoperatively connected to said drive means (a) for varying the speed 'atwhich said rear set of drafting instrumentalities are driven in responseto the magnitude of the drive signal.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said signal generating means (b)comprises means for generating a plurality of signals each varying in apredetermined manner and an interrupted signal and gate means forreceiving the varying and interrupted signals and for combining each ofsaid varying signals with another signal varying in a different mannerto generate at least two randomly varying signals and for controllingthe passage of one of the randomly varying signals with the interruptedsignal to generate an intermittently varying signal as theaforementioned second signal, the other of the at least two randomlyvarying signals being present as the aforementioned first signal.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said signal generating means (b)includes a plurality of first signal sources each originating a pair ofinversely varying signals and a first signal integrating meansoperatively connected to said first signal sources for integrating theplurality of pairs of signals originating from said first signal sourcesinto a single continuous signal to thereby generate the aforementionedfirst signal.

4. The combination of claim 1 wherein said signal generating means (b)includes a plurality of second signal sources, at least two of saidsecond signal sources each originating a pair of inversely varyingsignals and another of said second signal sources originating aninterrupted signal, and a second signal integrating means operativelyconnected to said second signal sources for integrating the plurality ofpairs of signals originating from said at least two signal sources intoa single signal and including a gate means actuated by the interruptedsignal and controlling the passage of the single signal to therebygenerate a discontinuous signal as the aforementioned second signal.

5. In a spinning frame having at least front and rear spaced apart setsof drafting instrumentalities for drafting fibrous textile strandspassing therethrough, said front set normally being driven at apredetermined rotative speed and said rear set normally being driven ata slower relative speed than said front set for feeding the textilestrand into the drafting zone at a slower rate than it is delivered, theimprovement which comprises means connected to said rear set of draftinginstrumentalities for driving the same at randomly varying rates torandomly vary the count of the strand being delivered from said draftinginstrumentalities and comprising:

(a) controllable variable speed drive means connected to said rear setof drafting instrumentalities independently of said front set fordriving the rear set independently of said front set.

(b) means for generating a continuous first voltage signal and adiscontinuous second voltage signal and control means operativelyconnected to said signal generating means (b) for receiving the firstand secondsignals therefrom and combining the same to create a drivevoltage signal having an instantaneous magnitude determined by thegreater of the instantaneous magnitudes of the first and second signalsand operatively connected to said drive means (a) for varying the speedat which said rear set of drafting instrumentalities are driven inresponse to the magnitude of the drive signal.

6. The combination of claim wherein said signal generating means (b)includes a plurality of first signal source means each originating avoltage signal which varies in a predetermined manner as to duration,spacing and sequence of voltage peaks and a first signal integratingmeans operatively connected to said first signal source means forintegrating the plurality of varying signals originating from said firstsignal source means into a single signal to thereby generate theaforementioned continuous first signal.

7. The combination of claim 5 wherein said signal generating means (b)includes a plurality of second signal source means, certain of saidsecond signal source means each originating a voltage signal whichvaries in a predetermined manner as to duration, spacing and sequence ofvoltage peaks and another of said second signal source means originatingan interrupted signal, and a second signal integrating means operativelyconnected to said second signal source means for integrating the signalsoriginating from said certain signal source means into a single signaland including a gate means actuated by the interrupted signal andcontrolling the passage of the single signal to thereby generate theaforementioned discontinuous second signal.

'8. In a spinning frame having at least front and rear spaced apart setsof drafting instrumentalities for drafting fibrous textile strandspassing therethrough, said front set normally being driven at apredetermined rotative speed and said rear set normally being driven ata slower relative speed than said front set for feeding the textilestrand into the drafting zone at a slower rate than it is delivered, theimprovement which comprises means connected to said rear set of draftinginstrumentalities for driving the same at randomly varying rates torandomly vary the count of the strand being delivered from said draftinginstrumentalities and comprising:

(a) controllable variable speed drive means connected to said rear setof drafting instrumentalities independently of said front set fordriving the rear set independently of said front set,

(b) means for generating a plurality of pairs of inversely varyingvoltage signals and an interrupted voltage signal,

(0) means operatively connected to said signal generating means (b) forreceiving signals therefrom and for combining a signal of each pair ofinverse signals with a signal of another pair to create at least tworandomly varying voltage signals and for gating one of the randomlyvarying signals with the interrupted signal to create an intermittentlyvarying voltage signal, and

(d) control means operatively connected to said means (c) for receivingthe randomly varying and intermittently varying voltage signalstherefrom and combining the same to create a drive voltage signal ofvarying magnitude and operatively connected to said drive means (a) forvarying the speed at which said rear set of drafting instrumentalitiesare driven in response to the magnitude of the drive signal.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said signal generating means (b)includes a plurality of multivibrator circuits, each of said circuitsgenerating one of said pairs of inversely varying signals and comprisinga pair of alternatively conducting circuit elements and means forcontrollably timing the alternation in conductive state of said circuitelements. 7

10. The combination of claim 8 wherein said signal generating means (b)includes a randomizer generating said interrupted signal and comprisinga rotatively driven cam member and a plurality of electricallyinterconnected switches engaged thereby for completing an electricallyconductive path at random time intervals.

11. The combination of claim 8 wherein said drive means (a) includes avoltage responsive electrical motor and said control means (c) modulatesvoltage applied to said motor and includes means responsive to theoperating speed of the motor for imposing a load thereon in the eventthe operating speed thereof exceeds that indicated by said drive signalso as to facilitate fluctuation of such speed in response to variationsin magnitude of the drive signal.

12. In a spinning frame having at least front and rear spaced apart setsof drafting instrumentalities for drafting fibrous textile strandspassing therethrough, said front set normally being driven at apredetermined rotative speed and said rear set normally being driven ata slower relative speed than said front set for feeding the textilestrand into the drafting zone at a slower rate than it is delivered, theimprovement which comprises means connected to said rear set of draftinginstrumentalities for driving the same at preprogrammed varying rates tovary the count of the strand being delivered from the draftinginstrumentalities in accordance with a predetermined pattern andcomprising:

(a) controllable variable speed drive means connected to said rear setof drafting instrumentalities independently of said front set fordriving the rear set independently of said front set,

(b) means for generating a plurality of pairs of inversely varyingvoltage signals, (c) means operatively connected to said signalgenerating means (b) for receiving signals therefrom and for combining afirst signal of each pair of inverse signals with a first signal ofanother pair and for combining the second signals of the respectivepairs of inverse signals to create a voltage signal varyingintermittently in a predetermined manner and,

(d) control means operatively connected to said means (c) for receivingthe intermittently varying voltage signal therefrom and for creating adrive signal of varying magnitude and operatively connected to the drivemeans (a) for varying the speed at which the rear set of draftinginstrumentalities are driven in response to the magnitude of the drivesignal.

13. A method of producing a novelty yarn on a spinning frame having atleast front and rear spaced apart sets of drafting instrumentalities fordrafting fibrous textile strands passing therethrough and wherein saidfront set is normally driven at a predetermined rotative speed fordelivering the textile strands, the method comprising the Steps of:

generating first and second randomly varying signals, combining thefirst and second signals to create a driving signal of randomly varyingmagnitude, and

driving the rear set of drafting instrumentalities independently of thefront set thereof and at varying speeds in response to the varyingmagnitude of the drive signal so that the rear set of draftinginstrumentalities feeds the textile strands into a drafting zone betweenthe front and rear sets at randomly varying rates to randomly vary thecount of the strands being delivered therefrom.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein the step of generatingsignals includes modulating electrical currents to generate volt-agesignals as the aforementioned first and second signals.

15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the step of generatingsignals includes generating a plurality of pairs of inversely varyingsignals and integrating together a signal of each pair of inverselyvarying signals with a signal of another pair of such signals.

16. A method according to claim 13 wherein the step of generating firstand second signals includes generating a continuous voltage signal asthe aforementioned first signal and generating a discontinuous voltagesignal as the aforementioned second signal.

17. A method of producing a novelty yarn on a spinning frame having atleast front and rear spaced apart sets of drafting instrumentalities fordrafting fibrous textile strands passing therethrough and wherein saidfront set is normally driven at a predetermined rotative speed fordelivering the textile strands, the method comprising the steps of:

generating a plurality of pairs of inversely varying voltage signals,

generating an interrupted voltage signal,

combining a signal of each pair of inversely varying signals with asignal of another pair of such signals to create at least two randomlyvarying voltage signals,

controlling transmission of one of the randomly varying signals with theinterrupted signal to create an intermittently varying voltage signal,

combining the intermittently varying signal with another of the randomlyvarying signals to create a drive voltage signal of varying magnitude,and

driving the rear set of drafting instrumentalities independently of thefront set thereof and at varying speeds in response to the varyingmagnitude of the drive signal so that the rear set of draftinginstrumentalities feeds the textile strands into a drafting zone betweenthe front and rear sets at randomly varying rates to randomly vary thecount of the strands being delivered therefrom.

References Cited JOHN PETRAKES, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,449,899 June 17 1969 Francis M. Cureton et a1.

It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent andthat said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 28, "event." should read event, line "fromation" shouldread formation Column 2, line 25, "as" should read associated front setof drafting instrument ities spaced Column 3, line 12, "it" should readis Column 4 line 46 "rears" should read rear line 56 "an" should readand line 62, "drive" should read driven line 65, "rondomizer" shouldread randomizer Column 5, 1i 6 before "71" i s t 7O line 73, "lanes"should read lines Column 6, line 72, "including" should read includedColumn 7, line 47, "the" should read are line 55, "five-portion" shouldread five-position Column 8, line 1 after "7", second occurrence, inserta line 51, "he should read the Column 9 line 13, "purse" should readpurpose line 75 before "programmed" insert pre- Colu ll line 6 "setshould read set, Column 12 line 7, "alternatively" should readalternately Signed and sealed this 10th day of March 1970 c (SEAL)Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCI-IER,JR. WILLIAM E, SCHUYLER, Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Paten

